Machine for stripping and topping cane, corn, &amp;c.



A. GERDBS.

MACHINE FOR STEIPPING AND TOPPING CANE, CORN, 6m. APPLICATION FILEDFBBA, 1910.

1,009,233. Patented N0v.21, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

W1 imam ea iffozucua 1 caLumnlA PLANOURAPH co., WASHINGTON, I)- c.

A. GERDES.

MACHINE FOR. STRIPPING AND TOPPING CANE, CORN, 6w. APPLICATION FILEDP334. 1910.

71 009 233 Patented Nov. 21, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A 51 111014 fox wane/30% N f c; 1 Q m 0W- o) atfo'cucl o COLUMBIAPLANOGRAPH CCL, WASHINGTON. n. c.

A. GERDBS. MACHINE FOR STRIPPING AND TOPPING OANE, CORN, 6111.

APPLICATION FILED PEBA, 1910.

1,009,233. Patented Nov. 21, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

wi/tmeoo as WM v mom a COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO..WASHINGTDN. B4 c.

A. GERDES.

MACHINE FOB. STRIPPING AND TOPPING CANE, CORN, 6w.

APPLICATION FILED MBA, 1910.

1,009,233, Patented Nov. 21, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0..\vAsnmnToN. b. c.

AUGUST GERDES 0F GRETNA, LOUISIANA.

MACHINE FOR STRIPPING AND TOPPING CANE, CORN, 8w.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1911.

Original application filed May 11, 1909, Serial No. 495,289. Divided andthis application filed February 4,

1910. Serial No. 542,101.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUST Gnnons, a subject of the German Emperor, andresident of Gretna, Jefferson parish, State of Louisiana, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Stripping andTopping Cane, Corn, &c., of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to harvesters for cane, corn and broom corn, andparticularly to the stripping and topping mechanisms.

This application is a division of my 00- pending application, SerialNumber 495,289, filed May 11, 1909.

One of the objects of this invention is to construct a stripper whichwill thoroughly strip the stalk of the leaves.

Another object is to construct a topper which will cut off the tops, butat the same time will prevent undue waste by cutting off no more thanthe necessary amount of the stalk.

Further objects will appear from the detailed description.

The invention will be described in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the harvester; Fig.2 is a plan view; Fig. 3 is a front elevation; Fig. 4 is a detail of thestalk revolving bar in side elevation; Fig. 5 is a detail frontelevation of the same; Fig. 6 is a detail plan view of the same; andFig. 7 is a detail plan view of the feeding screws, the top cuttingknives and the dofi'er wheel.

The invention is shown as applied to a machine of the traveling typethatis, one which will take the stalks standing in the field and cut, stripand top the same. It is obvious, however, that this invention may beapplied to stationary machines which operate upon stalks cut by anothermachine and transported and fed to the stationary machine. The frame ofthe machine is preferably formed of structural steel and supported onfour wheels 15. The front wheels, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, aremounted upon bearings attached to sleeves 16, which are pivotallymounted on pivot pins 17 mounted in bearings 18, 19, rigidly connectedto the frame of the machine. Rigidly connected to the sleeves 16 arearms 20. A band or chain 21 passes around a number of loose pulleys 22and pulley 22 on a shaft 23 mounted in bearings in the frame. This shafthas connected to it a spur gear 24 with which meshes a pinion 25 havingconnected to it a handle 26. The handle 26 and the cooperating partsconstitute the steering mechanism for the machine. This machine may bedrawn either by animal power or propelled by an engine. If drawn byanimal power the tongue is attached on the left side of the machine atthe point A. If propelled by an engine, this engine is mounted in thespace 27.

28, 29 forms spaces for tanks and tool boxes.

Across the frame of the machine extends the main shaft 30, havingmounted upon it a pinion 31, which meshes with an internal gear 32 onthe rear wheel rim. Rear wheels 15, 15 are loosely mounted on theiraxles in the usual way. The shaft may be driven either by internal teethon one of the rear wheel rims or this shaft may extend clear across,forming an extension 33 which may be provided with another pinionmeshing with internal gear teeth on the right-hand rear wheel rim. Inthis case, however, a suitable difi'erential gearing must be provided.WVhen the machine is propelled by an engine a chain wheel may extendfrom the engine shaft to the main shaft 30 to propel the same. Thischain wheel is, however, dispensed with when the machine is drawn byanimal power.

The main shaft 30 is provided wit-h a bevel gear 35 meshing with a bevelpinion '36 upon a stub shaft 37. Upon this stub shaft are mounted a pairof chain wheels 38, 39. A second bevel gear 40 on the main shaft 30meshes with a bevel pinion 41 upon a stub shaft upon which are mounted apair of chain wheels 42, 43. A chain wheel 44 is mounted on the mainshaft 30 and transmits power by means of a chain to a chain wheel 45connected to a counter shaft 46. A chain wheel 47, mounted upon theshaft 46, transmits, by means of a chain, power to a stub shaft havingmounted upon it a bevel gear 48, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This bevelgear 48 meshes with a pinion 49 on a shaft 50, extending longitudinallyof the machine frame. A chain wheel 51 on the shaft 46 transmits powerto a chain wheel 52 on a shaft-53. It will therefore be seen that bymeans of the gears and chain wheels the power is transmitted from themain shaft to the different counter shafts, each of which, as will beseen later, transmits the power to its separate pieces of mechanism. 7

A pairof gathering screws55, 56 are mounted upon their shafts 57, 58,which shaft-s rotate in bearings in the frame of the machine. Upon theseshafts are mounted a pair of chain wheels which connect by chains to thechain wheels 38 and 42, whereby the gathering screws are rotated inopposite directions, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 3. A second pairof gathering screws 59, 60, are mounted upon a pair of shafts 61, 62 soas to also rotate. The shafts 61, 62 have universal joints 82. Theseshafts 61, 62 extend longitudinally of the frame, as shown in Fig. 1,and are rotated in the direction of the arrows shown in Fig. 3 by meansof chain wheels 39, 43 and chains. A pair of disk knives 63, 64 aremounted in bearings in the position shown in Fig. 3 and cut the stalksfed to them by'the gathering screws 55, 56, 59 and 60.

The disk knives are mounted upon shafts 65 driven by means of bevelgears 68 and 86, chains 87 and chain wheels 88 on shaft 46. A platformor bridge 83 is hinged at its upper end at 84 by a suitable pivot pin orany other form of hinge and rests at its lower end upon rounded bearinglugs 85 formed upon collars 78. Collars 78 are provided with bearinglugs for shafts 62. The shafts 65 and collars 78 are arranged to beadjusted vertically to adjust the position of the knives gatheringscrews and platform, as shown in my copending application.

Upon the front of the machine are mounted pairs of gathering bars 90,90, 91, 91, connected by strips 92, 92. An additional pair of guide bars93, 93 may be mounted at the upper end of the machine to guide thestalks into engagement with the conveyers and strippers as hereafterdescribed.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3: 95, 95, 96, 96, 97, 97 and 98, 9Sdesignate combined conveyer and stripper mechanism in the form of screwsor helices 99. As shown these screws are mounted in pairs one above theother, the pairs intermeshing, as shown in Fig. 2, so as to form an openspace between the spirals for the passage of the stalks. These helicesor screws are provided with sharp cutting edges, either plain, as shownin Figs. 1, 2 and 3, or notched in the form of saw-teeth, as shown inFig. 5. These screws rotate in opposite directions and as shown by thearrows in Fig. 3, downwardly toward the bottom of the stalk. A chainwheel 100 upon shaft 50 transmits power to a chain wheel 101 on ashaft102 supporting one of the screws. The power is transmitted to the otherscrews by means of a train of gearing 103, as shown 1n Flg. 1. A fifthpair of screws or helices 104 are mounted above the other screws uponshafts 105. shafts connects by a chain to the second chain wheel 107upon the shaft 50. By

means of spur gears 108 on the shafts 105, 105, and the chain wheel 107,the screws 104 are rotated in opposite directions, as shown by thearrows in Fig. 3. In this case however the direction of rotation isupwardly or toward the top of the stalk. The screws 104 need not beprovided with cutting edges as their function is merely to support astalk and not to strip it. The inclined bridge 83 has an extension 83which extends to and feeds the stalks upon a steep conveyer 109 passingover rolls 110, 111. The roll 111 is mounted upon a shaft to which isconnected a spur gear 112, meshing with a spur gear 113 on the shaft 46,whereby during the operation of the machine the elevator moves thestalks toward the rear of the machine. length of the screw portion ofthe screws 95 and 96 is diminished.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 7, a pair of feeding screws 114 formingstalk receiving recesses 115 are mounted upon sleeves 116, through whichsleeves extend the shafts 105. Upon these sleeves are rigidly mounted aA chain wheel 106 upon one of these It will be noted that the,

pair of intermeshing spur gears 117, and

upon one of the sleeves is mounted a chain wheel 118 connected by meansof a chain to a chain wheel 119 upon the shaft 50. By means of thisindependent connection the feeding screws 114 may be driven at a greateror at a less speed than the. screws 104. A pair of vertically extendingshafts 120 have mounted at their lower ends a pair of bevel gears 121which mesh with bevel gears upon the shaft 53. Upon the upper ends ofthe shafts 120 are mounted a pair of disk knives 122. A pair of chainwheels 123, mounted above the disks 122, are connected by chains to apair of chain wheels upon shafts 125. These shafts support a pair ofdoifer wheels 124. In the construction shown in Fig. 7 only one dolferwheel is used. A conveyer 126 passes over a pair of rollers 127, 128.The roller 127 has mounted upon its shaft a spur gear which coiiperateswith a spur gear on the main shaft 30.

In Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are shown the construction of the stalk revolvingbars. Since the construction of both bars are identical only one will bedescribed. Referring to Figs. 4, 5 and 6, 130, 130 designate a pair ofbrackets provided with inclined slots 131. A longitudinally extendingbar 132 is provided with a pair of slides or elongated pins 133 whichslide in the inclined slots 131. The bar 132 has riveted or otherwisesecured to it a plate 134 provided with a number of corrugations 135extending along the entire length of the bar. These corrugations may beformed in various ways. They may be formed by punching out portions ofthe plate or strip 134, or by securing sharp pins directly in the bar132, or the bar 132, or the plate 134, may be merely roughened, thefunction of this roughened portion being to revolve the stalk in itspassage through the machine. The bar 132 is preferably provided with aflaring guide 136 for the purpose of bringing the stalk in engagementwith the roughened projections 135. Referring to Figs. 3 and 5, it willbe noted that the bars 132, which are two in number in the constructionshown, are positioned between two pairs of screws. The weight of the barnormally retains them in the lowest position with the lugs 133 in thelower ends of slots 131. In this lowest position the bars 132 willextend beyond the center line of the machine, this being the line whichis equidistant from the centers of the screws.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The machine is propelled ordrawn along a row of cane or corn. The gathering bars 90 and 91 willpick up the stalks which have been blown down by the wind or rain andbring them into the bite of the gathering screws 55, 56, 59 and 60.These gathering screws are revolved at such a speed that the pitch speedis equal to the speed of the machine over the ground, the pitch speedbeing the distance between two symmetrical points on two successiveflights, z. e. the pitch, multiplied by the number of revo lutions ofthe screw in a unit of time. It will therefore be seen that after astalk is once in engagement with the screw it will be righted and heldin vertical position, the lower pair of screws first righting the stalkand the upper pair of screws completing iche righting operation. By theunited operation of the gathering bars and the gathering screws thestalks are gradually brought closer to the center line of the machine,since it will be noted that the upper pair of gathering screws islocated nearer the center line than the lower pair, therebycorresponding with the flare of the gathering bars. The gathering screwsand gathering bars feed the stalks tothe cylindrical knives 63, 64,which cut off the stalk. At the same time that the stalks are inengagement with the cutting knives the upper portions there of, by meansof the gathering bars 91 and the additional guides 93, are guided ontothe bite of the revolving screws 99 which engage the stalks which arenow righted and in vertical position; hold them in vertical position,and gradually move them through the machine. As the stalks are movedthrough the machine the sharp cutting edges of the screws strip thestalks of their leaves by a draw cut. After the stalks leave the knives63 and 64 they are engaged by the inclined platform or bridge 83.Referring to Fig. 3, it will be noted that this platform or bridge 83rests upon the surface of the knives and is provided with a trough orVshaped central portion B, which tends to hold the stalks in centralposition. The stalks moved on by the conveyer and stripping screws aremoved longitudinally and upwardly, due to the incline of the platform orbridge 83. In this manner by giving the stalks an upward movement whileengaged by the strippers it is" insured that e ery part longitudinal ofthe stalk shall be engaged by the stripping knives. The incline of theplatform 83 is of course suitably proportioned so that a verticalmovement of sufficient amount is given to insure such operation. Intheir passage through the machine the stalks are also engaged by theroughened bars 132. In this way the stalks are given a rotative movementaround their vertical axis while they are moved through the machinewhereby it is insured that every part of the stalk will be engaged bythe stripping knives. By providing the screws, which are the conveyersthemselves, with cutting edges a construction is secured whereby duringthe stripping operation the strippers are constantly in engagement withthe stalks. In this way all tearing and breaking of the stalks isprevented and only the leaves removed.

In the passage of the stalks through the machine the tops of the longstalks are engaged by the retaining screws 104. It will be noted thatthese screws rotate upwardly toward the top of the stalk and thereforeany top coming in engagement will be quickly moved upwardly andthereafter retained in position by the screws which form a rest or stopfor the stalk, and since they engage the stalk by the top or tassel, alldownward movement and further upward movement is prevented. Since thefunction of these screws is merely to retain or support the stalk theyneed not be provided with cutting edges, and, on the other hand, theymaybe in the form of plain rolls.

The inclined platform or bridge 83 will move the long stalks intoengagement with the retaining screws or rolls 104 but in order that theshort stalks may also be moved into engagement with these rolls theelevator 109 is provided. The section 83 of the bridge or platformdischarges onto this elevator 109 which moves the stalks upwardly, thespeed of the elevator being such that the longitudinal component is thesame as the feed of the screws. In this way the shorter stalks areelevated so that they are engaged by the retainers 104 and the stalksare supported by the head or tassel in the usual way. The strippingscrews and the retaining screws or' rolls 104 move all the stalksrearwardly into the bites of the feeding screws 114:, which rotate inthe same directions as the retaining screws or rolls 104. The stalkswill now enter the recesses 115 in the feeding rolls and will be movedin engagement with the disk knives 122. The feeding rolls 11 1 arepreferably run at such a speed that the movement of the stalk, afterbeing engaged by them, toward the knives is faster than the movementwhich is imparted to the stalk by the stripping and retaining screws. Inthis way after a stalk is fed into engagement with the rolls 114 it isquickly moved toward the knives 122 and thus all clogging is avoided.Since the rolls 114 move upwardly and toward the top or tassel the stalkis supported by the tassel and therefore the knives 122 out the stalkata predetermined and uniform distance below the top, which distance isindependent of the length of the stalk.

By referring to Fig. 1 it will be noted that the elevator 109 terminatesat a point in front of the last thread or helix on the screws 97 and 98.In this way the stalks will leave the elevator before they enter therecesses in the feeding rolls 114:, and are allowed to drop down and besupported by their heads or tassels only and thus insure that the headshall always be a predetermined distance above the knives 122; Althoughthe rolls llt are preferably driven by a separate train of gearing inorder that they may be driven at a higher speed and thereby preventclogging, these rolls may be rigidly connected to the shafts 105 andthus the separate train of gearing 117, 118, 119 may be dispensed with.After the tops have been cut off the stalks are discharged upon theelevator 126 which may load them upon a wagon or discharge them on theground while the tops are discarded by means of the doffer wheels 124.In the construction shown in Fig. 7 the doffer wheels throw the tops onthat part of the field which has been cleaned of the stalks. By theadjusting means disclosed in my copending application the distance ofthe knives, the gathering screws, and the inclined bridge 83 above theground may be adjusted.

Although this machine is particularly adapted to cut, strip and topsugar cane it will be obvious that the machine can be used for cuttingand stripping corn to prepare it for the cellulose and paper factories.It is therefore to be understood that I do not intend to limit the useof this machine to a particular kind of stalk, nor is this invention tobe limited to the specific construction shown and described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a machine of the class described, the

combination with a frame, of stripper mechanism thereon including arotatable helical member adapted to constantly engage with the stalkduring the stripping operation.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame, ofstripper mechanism thereon including a rotatable edged helical member.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame, ofstripper mechanism thereon including a helical member provided with aserrated cutting edge.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame, ofstripper mechanism thereon including axially rotatable intermeshingmembers provided with cutting edges.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame, ofstripper mechanism thereon including intermeshing helical membersrotating in opposite directions toward the bottom of the stalk, saidhelical members being constructed to leave a clearance space betweenthem for the stalk.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination .with a frame,of stripper mechanism thereon including intermeshing helical membersprovided with cutting edges and constructed to leave a clearance spacefor the stalks, and means for rotating said members to move the stalkstoward the rear of the machine.

7. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame, ofstripping mechanism thereon comprising pairs of intermeshing helicalmembers located one pair above the other, constructed to leave aclearance space between pairs for the stalks.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame, ofstripping mechanism thereon including intermeshing members constantly inengagement with the stalk during the stripping operation, means forfeeding the stalk transversely of its length through the machine, andmeans for imparting a compound movement to the stalk in the direction ofits length while engaged by said members.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame, ofstripper mechanism thereon including a member constantly in engagementwit-h the stalk during the stripping operation, and means for rotatingthe stalk around its axis while engaged by said member.

10. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame,of stripper mechanism thereon including intermeshing members constantlyin engagement with the stalk during the stripping operation, and meansfor rotating the stalk around its axis while engaged by said members.

11. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame,of stripper mechanism thereon including a member constantly inengagement wit-l1 the stalk during the stripping operation, means forfeeding the stalks through the machine, and an upwardly and rearwardlyinclined platform upon which the stalks are adapted to rest in theirmovement.

12. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame,of stripper mechanism thereon including intermeshing members constantlyin engagement with the stalk during the stripping operation andconstructed to feed the stalks through the machine, andan upwardly andrearwardly inclined platform upon which the stalks are adapted to restin' their movement.

13. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame,of stripper mechanism thereon, and means for rotating the stalk aroundits axis during the stripping operation.

14. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame,of stripper mechanism thereon, means for moving the stalk in thedirection of its length, and means for rotating the stalk around itsaxis during the stripping operation.

15. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame,of stripper mechanism thereon comprising a plurality of pairs ofintermeshing helical members lo cated one pair above the other, meansfor rotating said helical members in opposite directions toward thebottom of the stalk, and a pair of rollers located above the helicalmembers and adapted to support the stalk between them by the tassel, andmeans for rotating the rollers in opposite directions toward the tasselend of the stalk.

16. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame,of stripping mechanism thereon, a pair of rolls adapted to support thestalk between them and limit the downward movement thereof by engagementwith the tassel, and means for rotating said rolls in oppositedirections away from the bottom of the stalk.

17. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame,of a plurality of pairs of intermeshing helical members thereon, onepair spaced above the other, means for rotating the rollers of a pair inopposite directions downwardly and inwardly, a pair of intermeshinghelical rollers above the helical members, and means for rotating saidrollers in opposite directions upwardly and inwardly.

18. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame,of stripping mechanism thereon, and means for rotating the stalk duringthe stripping operation in cluding a frictional engaging member locatedin the path of the stalk.

19. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame,of stripping mechanism thereon, and means for rotating the stalk duringthe stripping operation including a serrated member located in the pathof the stalk.

20. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame,of stripping mechanism thereon, and means for rotating the stalk duringthe stripping operation including a plurality of serrated bars locatedin the path of the stalk.

21. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame,of stripper mechanism thereon, and means for rotating the stalk duringthe stripping operation, including a serrated bar constructed toyieldingly engage the stalk.

22. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame,of stripper mechanism thereon, means for rotating the stalk during thestripping operation, including a serrated bar provided with hubs, and asupport provided with inclined slots with which the hubs engage.

23. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame,of stripping mechanism thereon including a member constantly inengagement with the stalk during the stripping operation, a yieldingserrated bar engaging the stalk, and means for moving the stalk alongsaid bar.

24. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame,of stripping mechanism thereon including a pair of helical intermeshingmembers forming a passage for the stalks, a serrated bar yieldinglypressed toward the line of bite of the members so as to engage thestalk, and means for moving the stalk through the machine along theserrated bar.

25. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame,of stripping mechanism thereon, and means for moving the stalklengthwise with respect to the stripping mechanism during the strippingoperation, including an upwardly inclined elevator which engages thebottom of the stalks.

26. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame,of stripping mechanism thereon, and means for moving the stalklengthwise during the stripping operation including a stationaryupwardly inclined platform, and an upwardly inclined elevator whichengages the bottom of the stalks, and means for moving the stalksthrough the machine.

27. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame,of stripping mechanism thereon, a pair of rolls" for engaging the topand supporting the stripped stalks, and means for rotating said rollsinwardly and upwardly.

28. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame,of stripping mechanism thereon, a pair of rolls for engaging the top andsupporting the stripped stalks, means for rotating said rolls inwardlyand upwardly, and an upwardly inclined elevator engaging the bottom ofthe stalks and elevating them within the bite of rolls.

29. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame,of a top outter thereon, means for feeding the stalks to the cutterincluding a pair of rolls for supporting the stalk by the top, saidmechanism being constructed and arranged to cut the stalk at a uniformdistance below the top irrespective of the lengths of the stalks.

30. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame,of a top outter thereon, means for feeding the stalks to the cutterincluding a pair of inwardly and upwardly rotating rolls for supportingthe stalks by the top, said mechanism being constructed and arranged tocut the stalk at a uniform distance below the top irrespective of thelengths of the stalks.

31, In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame,of a top outter thereon, means for feeding the stalks to the cutterincluding a pair of rolls for supporting the stalks by the top, meansfor elevating the stalk into the bite of the rolls, and means forfeeding the stalks through the machine, whereby the stalk is cut auniform distance below the top irrespective of the length of the stalk.

32. In a machine of the class described,

the combination with a frame, of a pair of inwardly and outwardlyrotating rolls thereon constructed to feed the stalks through themachine and to support them by the top, an elevator for elevating thestalks lengthwise into the bite of the rolls, a pair of rolls axiallyalined with the first rolls, and constructed to receive the stalks fromthe first rolls, a cutter located below the second pair of rolls, saidsecond pair of rolls being constructed to feed the stalks to the cutter.

33. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame,of a cutter thereon for cutting the tops from the stalks, a pair ofrolls'located .above the knife and adapted to feed the stalks to theknife, and a dotfer wheel located above the rolls for discarding thetops.

34. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a frame,of stripping means thereon including a pair of intermeshing edgedhelical members forming a passage for the stalk, and a supporting bridgeor platform for supporting the stalk during the stripping operation,said platform being of V-shaped cross section to center the stalk.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AUGUST GERDES. WVitnesses:

H. M. J OURNEE, M. WHITNEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

